Roswell UFO festival kicks off Friday

It’s expected to be a weekend of alien fun in Roswell with the launch of the annual UFO festival.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Friday with an opening ceremony at the UFO Museum, activities will stretch through Monday with everything from food and spirits to costume contests and music.

The family-friendly event celebrates one of the most debated incidents in history.

In early July 1947, a mysterious object crashed on a ranch 30 miles outside of Roswell. Initially, military officials said a flying disc had been recovered. However, the next day the statement was revised to say a weather balloon had been recovered.

Speculation has marked Roswell as a UFO crash site, and the incident is observed annually through the festival.

Most events and activities are free and within walking distance of one another in the downtown area.